Abstract

We have demonstrated surface-emitting GaN-based diodes with a buried tunnel junction (TJ) current aperture. The current confinement aperture for lateral injection current was defined by mesa etch of a TJ structure and regrowth of current blocking layer surrounding the TJ mesa. Lateral electron current drives a tunnel contact junction providing hole injection into the active region. The very uniform light emission just through a buried TJ aperture represents that the buried TJ structure acts very effectively as a confinement aperture of lateral current injection, particularly in GaN-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers.